ELIZABETH, N.J. — A three-year, $71 million renovation of the main NJ Transit train station was to begin this week that will close sections of both platforms and the staircase from East Broad Street on the northbound track side.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we make these vital improvements, which are part of a $71 million project to completely modernize our Elizabeth Station on the Northeast Corridor,’’ NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin Corbett said in a recent press release.
The construction will feature new station buildings on both north and southbound sides, longer platforms for additional boarding capacity as well as improvements to ADA access, security and communications systems and improvements to the customer experience, NJ Transit said.
During the renovation, commuters may use alternate stairs near the station on the West Grand Street side or station elevators to access the platform. Trains will remain accessible via open areas on the platforms during construction.
Between the hours of 12:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily, the Elizabeth station will not be ADA accessible. Construction will require trains to arrive and depart at platform areas which use low-level boarding train stairs. A temporary walkway will be required for customers to board.
Customers requiring accessible services are encouraged to use nearby accessible stations such as Newark and Linden during those hours. Customers not requiring ADA accessibility may continue to use Elizabeth Station.
Also, during the renovations, customers requiring ADA accessibility will not be able to utilize North Elizabeth station from 12:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily due to the work at Elizabeth.
The Elizabeth station remodeling was approved by the NJ Transit board in spring 2018 and is scheduled to finish in 2022.
When complete, the station will have new buildings, longer platforms for improved boarding of 12-car trains, climate-controlled platform shelters, additional elevators, improved ADA access, new customer communication systems and additional security elements.
More specifically, planned improvements include:
• restoration of the existing pedestrian tunnel;
• rebuilding existing high-level platforms with construction of approximately 300 linear feet on each platform to accommodate 12-car train boarding capacity;
• additional connections to the public right-of-way;
• new platform canopies and climate-controlled platform shelters;
• ADA access improvements including two new elevators, rehabilitation of existing two elevators and new ADA ramps;
• new passenger communication systems and variable message signs.
• security systems;
• restoration of the existing plaza area; and
• installation of TransitArts elements.